ARDUOUS YEARS IN THE CENTRAL WEST(6)In additionto the regular force, there was an extra forceof two or three operators, and some stranded ones,who were a burden to us, for board was high. One ofthese derelicts was a great source of worry to me,personally.

In additionto the regular force, there was an extra forceof two or three operators, and some stranded ones,who were a burden to us, for board was high. One ofthese derelicts was a great source of worry to me,personally. He would come in at all hours and eitherthrow ink around or make a lot of noise. One nighthe built a fire in the grate and started to throw pistolcartridges into the flames. These would explode, andI was twice hit by the bullets, which left a black-and-blue mark. Another night he came in and got fromsome part of the building a lot of stationery with`Confederate States' printed at the head. He wasa fine operator, and wrote a beautiful hand. Hewould take a sheet of this paper, write capital `A,and then take another sheet and make the `A' differently;and so on through the alphabet; each timecrumpling the paper up in his hand and throwingit on the floor. He would keep this up until the roomwas filled nearly flush with the table. Then he wouldquit."Everything at that time was `wide open.'Disorganization reigned supreme. There was no headto anything.

At night myself and a companion wouldgo over to a gorgeously furnished faro-bank and getour midnight lunch. Everything was free. Therewere over twenty keno-rooms running. One of themthat I visited was in a Baptist church, the man withthe wheel being in the pulpit, and the gamblers inthe pews."While there the manager of the telegraph officewas arrested for something I never understood, andincarcerated in a military prison about half a milefr the office. The building was in plain sight fromthe office, and four stories high. He was kept strictlyincommunicado. One day, thinking he might be confinedin a room facing the office, I put my arm outof the window and kept signalling dots and dashesby the movement of the arm. I tried this severaltimes for two days. Finally he noticed it, and puttinghis arm through the bars of the window he establishedcommunication with me. He thus sent several messagesto his friends, and was afterward set free."Another curious story told by Edison concerns afellow-operator on night duty at Chattanooga Junction,at the time he was at Memphis: "When it wasreported that Hood was marching on Nashville, onenight a Jew came into the office about 11 o'clock ingreat excitement, having heard the Hood rumor. He,being a large sutler,

wanted to send a message to savehis goods. The operator said it was impossible--thatorders had been given to send no private messages.Then the Jew wanted to bribe my friend, who steadfastlyrefused for the reason, as he told the Jew, thathe might be court-martialled and shot. Finally theJew got up to $800. The operator swore him tosecrecy and sent the message. Now there was nosuch order about private messages, and the Jew, findingit out, complained to Captain Van Duzer, chief oftelegraphs, who investigated the matter, and while hewould not discharge the operator, laid him offindefinitely. Van Duzer was so lenient that if anoperator were discharged, all the operator had to dowas to wait three days and then go and sit on thestoop of Van Duzer's office all day, and he would betaken back. But Van Duzer swore he would nevergive in in this case. He said that if the operator hadtaken $800 and sent the message at the regular rate,which was twenty-five cents, it would have been allright, as the Jew would be punished for trying tobribe a military operator; but when the operator tookthe $800 and then sent the message deadhead, hecouldn't stand it, and he would never relent."A third typical story of this period deals with acipher message for Thomas.